Crosstie for railway cars



' 14 '19 7 A 1632181 June K. c. GARDNER] I CROSSTIE FOR RAILWAY CARS Filed Jan.12, 1,927 r 2 Shootg-Shet 1 f/VVLWIWR BY 1221222 (/73 C. Gardrur' A TTORNEYS June 14 1927. v

K. C. GARDNER caosswm FOR RAILWAY ems M 9 ATTZRNE? Patented June 14, 1927.

1,632,181 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE- KENNETH C. GARDNER, OF GREENVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE GREEN- 7 VILLE STEEL CAR COMPANY, OF GREENVILIIE, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

'cnoss'rm FOR. RAILWAY cans.

Application filed January '16, 1927. Serial no. 160,614.

,This invention as indicated relates toa cross tie or cross brace for railway cars. More particularly it comprises a structure adapted to be positioned transversely of rail way cars of the gondola or hopper-type. 'It is intended especially to provide a cross tie which may readily be replaceable and which may be manufactured together withjits supporting members at a minimum cost.

One form of cross tie suitable for this urpose is'illustrated in a companion app ication filed on Jan. 12, 1927, Serial No. 160,615

for car construction. The present formof constructlon embodieschanges 1n the construction of the supporting member as well as in the ends of the crosstie to cooperate therewith. To the accomplishment of the foregoingand related ends, said invention, then. consists of the means, hereinafter fully described and: particularly, pointed out in the claims. 6 v

The annexed drawing and. the following tional detail View taken along the lines .1313 shown in Fig. 10; Fig. 14 is a central sectional view of anothermodified form of construction; and Fig. 15 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line 1515 shown in Fig. 14. As isclearly shown in Figs. 1 to 3 of the formed of an elongated sheet of metal. of

uniform gauge and bent adjacent its upper edge 2 to substantially semi-circular crosssectionaloutllne. with its side portions 3 substantiallyfiat and angularlv approaching drawing in my preferred form of construceach other at their lower ed'es. The cross" 0 description set forth in detail certain mecha 6 nism embodying the-invention; ,such .disclosed means constituting, however, but one of various mechanical forms in'which the principle. of the invention may be used. u In said annexed drawing: a

Fig. 1 is a central vertical sectional view of one end of a cross tie and support embodying the principles of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a central vertical sectional view of the end of a cross tie of'the type shown 1n 1 Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken along theline 3 3,- shown in Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows; Fig.

.modified form of cross tie and support; Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken alongthe line 55 shown in Fig. 4. looking in the direction of the arrows; Fig. 6 is a central verti- 4. is a central vertical sectional view of an cal sectional view of another modified form of construction of cross tie and support; Fig. 7 is a top plan view of the structure in Fig. 6; Fig. 8 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line 88 shown in Fi 6, looking in the direction of the. arrows; Fig. 9 is a' central vertical sectional viewof anothermodified form of cross tie and support; Fig. 10 is a fragmentary side elevation showing one end of the, cross tie; Fig. 11 is a top plan view shown in Fig. 9,; Fig. 12 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line l2-12 shownin Fig. 9; Fig. 13 1s a sectie adjacent its ends is provided with slots 4 which as is shownin Figs. 1 and 2 are spaced from and are substantially parallel to the end edges of. the cross tie and extend through each ofthe side walls of the folded sheet in alignment with eachother at the respective' ends of the tie. The slots are preferably somewhat wider across their ower portions, their side edges being inclined upwardly toward eachother.

The ends of. the cross ties are adapted to be' supported in sockets comprising a base.

plate5, adapted to be riveted to the side wall 6 of a railway car or other structure, and having a pair of flanges 7 projecting forwardly therefrom and inclined downwardly toward each other in V-shape. Said flanges have horizontal sections 8 adjacent their upper edges against which the ends of a strap 9 semi-circular outline centrally are adapt- I lite engage. ,Suitable bolts 11 engaged ofiighfaligned perforations in the ends of lie orizontal sections and the strap respectively serve tohold the strap in rigid engagement. portingmember are provided with inward y projecting lugs 12 which are of smaller diameter adjacent their upper ends than adjjacent theiribases, their side faces corresponding in inclination to thes'ide edges of the slots heretofore described.

The method of attaching the. structure illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3, it is'believe'd will .be obvious. The supporting plates are firm- T The inclined walls of the .su

1y riveted tothe op osite inner side walls of the car body an the cross tie is then driven downwardly until. its slots adjacent the ends engage over the inclined lugs cm the supporting members. The final seating;

key 16 having a head of suitable shape is then insert-ed through the aligned slots and held in position by means of a cotter pin 17.

In the form of construction shown in Figs. 6 to 8, the supporting plate is formed in two sections 21, 22, ofiset along a central line to interengage, each of which hasa forwardly projecting crossitie engaging member 23, 24, of curved outline similar to that of a vertical half section of the end of the cross tie.

- A lug 'is'formed upon eachof the inclined walls of said forwardly projecting flanges 'whichis adapted to engagesimilarly shaped slots .26 spaced 'from the ends of thecross tie. The plate sections are assembled by engaging the lugs in the slots and clamping the -plates by means of the securing bolts 27 throughthe projections on the tie-engaging members. Each base plate combinatlon is then riveted to its adjacentcar side. hen

it is desired toremove the cross tie, it is only necessary toremove one set of rivets and detach the plate on that side from holding engagement with the cross tie.

The construction shown in Figs. 9 to 12 Qis somewhat similar to that illustrated in 1 ends thereof. The projecting tie ep 'r agj ig' member on the base plate 1sprovlded w; h

Figs. 6 to 8, but the base plate31 is formed .in one piece and carries one suitably shaped forwardly. projecting tie engaging member 32. The ends of the crosstie in place of being slotted are provided on each side with outwardly projecting ribs 33 which are struck up from'the' sheet of thecross tie parallel to and spaced from the resp'pctiye a slot 34 suitable to receive one of the ribs .or lugs on the cross tieanda strap of an outline similar to a one-halfsection of the cross tie is adapted to fit against the opposite side thereof, said strap having a slot 35 to receive the pro ecting lugon-the opposite When the strap is side :of the cross tie. bolted against the pro ecting flange by means ofv suitable.iasteningmembers 36 en- ;gaged through the apertures in projecting sections of the support, the cross tie will be securely held against the base plate. To re- .move the cross tie with this'form of con- A still further form of construction is illustrated in Figs. 14 and 15 wherein the base plate is'fOrmed with an integral porwhich the cadet the cross tie is ad'apted to engage. A detachableplate 38 is=adapted to fit against the side of the cross tie being se- 'cured 'by means of bolts 39 through extension lugs 40 on the parts as in the construction shown in Fig.- 12.

One of said lugs, however, is formed with a laterally projecting edge 41 which will extcnd over the line of. connection with. its

companion member and will serve to prevent the entrance or dirt or moisture. A similar laterally projecting edge may be provided vided with-either slots or lugsto interengage with a fastening. and supporting member. Said constructions may be cheaply -manufactured and form an'extremely rigid. brace for the car structure, and one'which' will withstand exposure to the weather and severe usage and at the sametime be readily replaceable if injured.'

Other modes of applying the principle. of my invention may beemployed instead; of those. explained, change being made asregards themechanism hereindisclosed, provided the means stated by any of the'followingyclaims or the equivalent of such stated means be'employed.

I therefore 1 particularly point [out and distinctly claim as my. invention:

1. An. article of the character described, having in combination a cross tie formed of a singlesheet of metal bent to semi-circular cross-section adjacent its upper edge and having depending side Walls which approach each other adjacent their lower edges, a supporting member for each end of the cross tie, each having a plurality of parts adapted to be engagedover the adjacent end of said cross tie and meansformed in said supportingmember and said cross tie for interengaging to prevent longitudinal dis placement of said cross tie and means for securingsaid supporting member to the. side walls of. the structure to be braced.

2. An article of the character described, having in combination a cross tie formed of a single sheet-of metal bentto semicircular cross section adjacent itsv upper edge and having depending side wallswhich approach each otheradjacent their lower edges, a supporting member for each end of-the cross tie, each having a plurality of parts adapted to beengagedover the adjacent end of said cross tie and a lug and slot provided on said supportingmember and said cross tie for interengaging to prevent longitudinal displacement of said cross tie and means for securing said supporting member tothe side walls of the structure to be braced, said supof a single sheet of metal bent to semiscir'cular cross section adjacent its upper edge and having substantially flat depending side walls which approach each other adjacent their lower edges, a supporting member for each end of the cross tie, each having a plurality of parts adapted to be engaged over the adjacent end of said cross tie and means formed in said supporting member and said cross tie for interengaging to prevent longi-' tudinal displacement of said cross tie and means for securing said supporting late to the side walls of the structure to he raced, one of the sections of said supporting member being formed integrally with saidsupporting member andprovided with a bottom groove within which the lower edges of the cross tie are adapted to seat and the other section of said supporting member being adapted to be engaged. against the op posite side of said cross tie.

Signed by me this 4th day of January,

KENNETH o. GARDNER. 

